Ski binding



Feb. 27, 1940. A. ATTENHOFER SKI BINDING Filed April 12, 1958 Fly. 1

Patented F eb. 27, 1940 PATENT OFFICE SKI BINDING Adolf Attenhofer, Zurich, Switzerland Application April 12, 1938, Serial No. 201,602 In. Switzerland June '7, 1937 8 Claims.

My invention relates to a ski binding and relates particularly to a binding with laterally adjustable toe irons adapted for the purpose of engaging boots of different size.

" In adjusting the toe irons to the boot of the user of the ski, many and various expedients have I been resorted to, such asthe use of serrations along the edges of the toe iron base, making engagement with complementary serrations of a plate rigidly secured to the ski. It has also already been suggested to provide rotatably mounted, screw threaded spindles at the forward and the rearward ends of the toeiron bases and to bring the serrated ends of the toe iron bases into engagement with the said spindle in such a way that by revolving the spindle the toe irons can be adjusted.

- An object of my invention, therefore, is to provide improved means allowing a rapid and simple adjustment of theme irons to any shape of the boot.

Another object of my invention is to provide rotatably mounted adjusting means at the forward and the rearward end of the toe irons, the mounting of the adjusting means being such that they cannot move in axial direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide rotatably mounted racks at the forward and at the rearward end of the toe iron base plates which racks engage complementary serrations at the corresponding ends of the said base plates.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will be-apparent by reference to the accompanying description of some chief embodiments of my invention, susceptible of variation in form, and which in a preferred form are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates in side elevation, a fragment of a ski comprising toe irons having side plates and adjusting means for the said toe irons.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a part of another embodiment of my invention.

Referring now to the different figures of the drawing in all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, the ski is shown at 2. At 4 and 5 are shown a pair of laterally adjustable toe irons having base portions 3 resting upon a base plate I. The toe irons are prevented from movement from a given adjusted position by the interengagement of the serrations E at the forward edge and the serrations i along the rearward edge of each toe iron base 3 with complementary serrations 8 of spindies 9 rotatably mounted in the base plate I and w in the cover it but secured against axial movement by means of flanges l2 projecting through correspondingly arranged apertures of the cover ill. Cover i El and base plate I are secured to each other by means of metal screws it, whereas the i entire binding is fixed to the ski 2 by means of screws H, which may be wood screws or metal screws cooperating with metal bushes inserted into the top of the ski. The outward ends of the spindles or racks 9 are provided with slots it into which a screw-driver or any other suitable instrument may be inserted in order to turn the spindles or racks 9 about their longitudinal axis. As may be clearly seen from Fig. 3 the cross section of spindle 9 is not a circle but the spindle is provided with an entirely fiat surface l5. Spindle 9 can therefore be brought into engagement with the serrations 6, l as shown in Fig. 2 (upper forward spindle) or by turning the spindle about it can be brought into the position of the lower forward spindle 9 of Fig. 2 which is no longer in engagement with the serration ii (see also Fig. 3).

When all the spindles or racks 9 are in the position as shown in Fig. 3 the toe irons d and 5 can be adjusted to the shape of the boot'of the user of the ski and by turning the said spindles back about 180 they secure the toe irons in the desired position. i

As shown in Fig. 2 the edges of the bases 3 are curved so as to allow an easy adjustment of the toe irons into any desired position.

It is obvious that the cross section of the spin dies or racks 9 may have any other shape. They may for instance have a rectangular or square cross section whereby one side of such bars is provided with serrations.

Whereas in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the spindles or racks 9 are provided with a thread of a certain pitch, the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4 shows a spindle at which is not provided with a thread but with serrations of any known type. This modification difiers from that just described also in that only one spindle or rack Bil is used atone end of the toe irons which element 363 may be secured against movement in axial direction by any known means. The cross section of rack til is rectangular.

The binding, part of which is shown in Fig. 5 is provided with a rack 40 at the forward and at the rearward end of the toe-irons, the said I rack being rotatably mounted in the binding of the rack MI.

In the foregoing description only the toe-irons and the means allowing an adjustment of the same have been described whereas the remaining parts of the binding, for instance a leather strap or a cable pressing the foot forward into the toe irons, which may be of any known construction, for instance as described in my Swiss Patents 174,115 and 177,295, have not been specifically described. It is one of the main advantages of the binding according to this invention that the adjustable toe irons may be used with any known type of harness.

It is apparent from the description according to the Figs. 1 to 5 of the various embodiments, that it is not necessary to loosen any screw in order to obtain an adjustment of the toe irons. In all embodiments described it is possible to obtain a rapid adjustment without taking the binding into its parts.

Having thus described my invention in some specific embodiments, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiments herein illustrated and described but without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I wish to claim and secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. In a ski binding, a base plate and a cover rigidly secured together, a pair of toe irons, .each of said toe irons comprising lateral side plate portions and base plate portionsheld projected between said base plate and said cover, at least one tooth provided along the edges of the base plate portions, serrated locking members each having a flat face and being adapted to engage said tooth and prevented from axial movement, the said locking members being rotatably. mounted on an axis parallel to the base plate in the binding to engage and disengage said teeth.

2. In a ski binding, a pair of toe irons, each of said toe irons comprising lateral side plate and base portions, serrations provided along the edges of the base plate portions, a serrated member having a fiat face and being rotatably mounted,

on an axis parallel to said base plate portions in the binding and prevented from axial movement, adapted to come into engagement or into disengagement with the said serration according to its angular position.

3. In a ski binding, a pair of toe irons, each of said toe irons comprising lateral side plate and base plate portions, serrations provided along the edges of the base plate portions, a serrated member having a fiat face and being rotatably mounted in the binding and prevented from axial movement, adapted to come into engagement or into disengagement with the said serration according to its angular position, means provided to turn the serrated member about its axis.

4. In a ski binding, apair of toe irons, each of said irons comprising lateral side plate and base ed in the binding and prevented from axial movement, adapted to come into engagement or into disengagement with the said serration according to its angular position, means provided to turn the serrated member about its axis, the said means consisting in grooves arranged in the outward ends of the serrated member.

5. In a ski binding, a pair of toe irons, each of said toe irons comprising lateralside plate and base plate portions, serrations provided along the edges of the base plate portions, a threaded spindle rotatably mounted on the binding and having a mutilated portion, means to prevent axial movement of said spindle, said spindle being formed so that when it is in one position its threads will engage with said serrations and when turned to present its mutilated portion to the threads the spindle will be disengaged from the serrations. I g

6. In a ski binding, a pair of toe irons, each of said toe irons comprising lateral side plate and base plate portions, serrations provided along I base plate, a pair of toe irons each comprising a lateral side plate and a base plate portion, the base plate portions lying in a common plane and being projected between said base plate and said cover, said base plate portions at opposite ends being provided with serrated elements, at least one serrated rod-like element being located rotatably between said base plate and said cover at each end of said toe irons for cooperation with the serrated elements, means to prevent axial movement of said rod-like elements, means by which said rod-like elements can be turned on their axes, said rod-like elements each having a fiat face, by virtue of which when said rodlike element is in one position it will be disengaged from said toe irons and whenrotated to another position it will be engaged with the same.

8. In a ski binding, a base plate, a pair of toe irons, mounted on said base plate and each com-'- prising a base portion and a side portion, said base portions having front and back teeth, means cooperating with said teeth for selectively adjusting said base plate portions, said means comprising toothed spindles, means to mount said spindles on said base plate for rotation on an axis parallel to said base plate, and means operative upon rotation of the spindles to one position whereby their teeth will engage said base portions teeth and when rotated to another position said spindles will be operatively disconnected from the teeth of said base portions.

- ADOLF ATTENI-IOFER. 

